Whiting: Coal Canyon secrets worth sharing

A small rock pile marks the junction of Coal Canyon Road and Leonard Road. The site offers a great view of Saddleback Mountain. DAVID WHITING, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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If you’ve driven the toll road heading south from the 91 freeway and thought, ‘Gee, I wonder what it would be like to run this beast?’ you’re in luck.

In an iron hiker sort of way.

Coal Canyon Trail not only parallels the 241 toll road, it rises twice as high as Windy Ridge Toll Plaza.

With nearly nine miles round trip and about a 2,000-foot elevation gain, the trail’s a huff and puff. But it’s a well-worth-it huff and puff.

You can’t find views of Chino Hills State Park like this anywhere. In fact, the weird thing is that, even on the south side of the 91, you’re still in Chino Hills State Park. Who knew?

One more weird thing: The only way to access this route is to go under – yes, under – the 91 freeway.

GETTING THERE

Coal Canyon is one of the few canyons in the Santa Ana Mountains that I’d heard of but never knew exactly where it was.

It turns out, it’s at the far northwest edge of the range. It’s also a bit tricky to get to.

From Orange County, take the 91 east and quickly hop off at the Green River Road exit. Follow Green River almost to the end and park at a dirt lot that tends to fill quickly on weekends.

Next, head west on a bike path, any bike path. With construction going on, right now there are two paths next to one another. Go about 1.4 miles until you come across what used to be an underpass for something called the Off Ramp To No Where. It’s now supposed to be an evolving wildlife corridor.

But it’s difficult to figure out the human reasoning for the corridor placement since the Santa Ana River is a moat of sorts between the main Chino Hills State Park north of the 91 and the Santa Ana mountains.

A small rock pile marks the junction of Coal Canyon Road and Leonard Road. The site offers a great view of Saddleback Mountain. DAVID WHITING, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Coal Canyon Trail offers great views of Chino Hills State Park - and much of it is on state park land south of the 91 Freeway. DAVID WHITING, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
One of the treats of ascending Coal Canyon Trail is watching cars shrink on the 91 Freeway. DAVID WHITING, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Coal Canyon Trail offers great views of Chino Hills State Park - and much of it is on state park land south of the 91 Freeway. DAVID WHITING, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A wildfire swept through the Coal Canyon Area some years ago. DAVID WHITING, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A lone mountain biker rips down Coal Canyon Trail. DAVID WHITING, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Coal Canyon Trail offers great views of Chino Hills State Park - and much of it is on state park land south of the 91 Freeway. DAVID WHITING, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
To access Coal Canyon Trial, you must go under the 91 Freeway. This view is from the south side of the freeway. DAVID WHITING, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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